Review of The English Baccalaureate: a tangled web scrutinised edited by Trevor Fisher, 28pp, available free of charge from Viewpoint, PO Box 3599. Stafford ST16 9RD on receipt of a stamped addressed C5 envelope.

Educational changes are being introduced,’ wrote 22 professors of education in an open letter to the prime minister in November 2012, ‘which we believe will harm the prosperity of our nation and limit the life-chances of our young people. A perfect storm is brewing.’ They said further that the storm, if it is not prevented, will ‘engulf our schools … and seriously damage our economy’. The professors were referring to plans for the re-fashioning of educational qualifications at the age of 16+, and for changes in the pedagogy and relationships through which the curriculum is taught and learnt. Broadly the same robust criticisms and severe warnings may be made of the government’s follow-up plans to re-fashion qualifications at 18+. Read more of this post